On the first day after your vacation, you sit down at your PC, type in the password — and fail. Windows says: “The password is incorrect. Please repeat the process” and expects you to click “OK.” After you click, the operating system displays a “Password hint” as a small reminder. get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro Because you have learned from us that secure passwords are not in the dictionary and should consist of upper and lower case letters, special characters, and numbers, a hint such as “10 characters” is of little help. Clicking on “Reset password” also leads nowhere — after all, you haven’t created a rescue drive. You may even be using a password manager — but this will, of course, remain inaccessible until you log in. Don’t worry: A forgotten Windows password is not the end of the world. We will show you various ways to regain access to your system. Further reading: Best password managers Easy access to your data even without a password Important first: Logging into Windows with a user name and password is not primarily used to protect your data, but to assign individual user profiles. The operating system recognizes who is currently sitting at the computer and automatically provides this user’s personal working environment — including desktop settings, files, and programs. To protect data from unauthorized access, Windows comes with encryption technologies such as EFS (Encrypted File System) and Bitlocker. And another basic tip: In extreme cases, a forgotten password can also lead to the loss of all data because you will not be able to avoid reinstalling Windows 10. You should therefore regularly create a backup of the most important data and also maintain this backup. However, as long as you have not encrypted your files, they are largely freely accessible, even without you or another user logging into Windows. Further reading: Newbie’s guide to Windows BitLocker: Why you need it & how to set it up For example, if you have installed Windows 10 alongside an older version of Windows, simply log in to this older version and access the files on the other system from there using Explorer. You can also install the hard drive with Windows 10 in another computer (but not as a boot drive!), boot into the Windows of the other computer and access the data on the second hard drive. You may have created a Windows 10 recovery system on a DVD or USB stick. In this case, you can boot your computer from it and access the drive data. However, this is not suitable as a permanent solution. Back up your data and reinstall Windows — or try to get a new password. Note: Before you try any of the solutions described below, you should make sure that the Caps Lock key was not activated or Num Lock was deactivated when you entered your password. Mistakes like this can happen to anyone (we’ve made them) and cause unnecessary work if you don’t notice the faux pas straight away. Further reading: So long, passwords: 5 easy ways to use passkeys The Windows password and encryption The methods described in the article for overwriting the Windows password have a big catch: If you have protected files or folders on your hard drive with the built-in Windows encryption, they will no longer be accessible afterwards. This is because the Encrypted File System (EFS) responsible for encryption is tied to the user password. If it is changed, whether by the administrator or by overwriting the old password, you will no longer be able to access your data. This affects all files and directories that you have encrypted after right-clicking on them and using the command “Properties > Advanced > Encrypt content to protect data.” Windows will only adjust the encryption accordingly if you change your password yourself. However, there is a way out: You can export the certificate for the encryption and save it on another drive, such as a USB stick. To do this, you need the Windows Certificate Manager, which you can open by entering the file name certmgr.msc in the search field of the taskbar. Go to “My certificates > Certificates,” click on your user name in the right-hand side of the window using the right mouse button, and select “All tasks > Export.” Use the following wizard to save the private key and define a password. Then select the desired storage location and make sure that the PFX file with the certificate and the key does not end up on the local hard drive. If you can no longer access your data after changing the Windows password, copy the PFX file back to the computer and double-click on it. This will call up a wizard with which you can import the certificate again. 1. Trick 17 with purchase program: Skip password entry The paid Kon-Boot can bypass Windows or MacOS passwords.Foundry Windows saves all passwords in the “SAM” file (without extension) in the “C:Windows System32config” folder. This is a database in which the user data is encrypted as hash values. Cracking this encryption is very time-consuming, depending on the complexity of the password. However, there are various workarounds. The first option is to use the paid tool Kon-Boot. You burn it onto a CD or copy it onto a bootable USB stick, start your computer with it and then immediately carry out a second boot process from the hard drive. Kon-Boot then patches the Windows code in memory that is responsible for the login process and, after selecting an account with administrator rights, allows you to boot to the desktop without entering a password. In the next step, the password can be changed in the Windows settings via “Accounts > Logon options.” Now remove the CD from the drive or remove the USB stick and restart Windows from the hard drive. You can then log in with the new password. Kon-Boot used to be a free open source tool and is now available for a fee. You can still find the old versions in some places on the internet, but they are not compatible with Windows 10 or 11. 2. Resetting the Microsoft account password If you log in to Windows with a Microsoft account, you can reset your password in just a few minutes using a web service.Foundry With newer versions of Windows, it is still possible to save account information locally, but the standard method is to log in with a Microsoft account, whereby the password entered is verified online via the Microsoft server. The methods for resetting the password explained in the following points do not apply here. They only apply to local account logins. If you can no longer use Windows because you have forgotten the password for your Microsoft account, you can repair this online via any other computer. The web address is https://account.live.com/resetpassword.aspx. What you need to know in any case is the email address or mobile phone number that was stored when the Microsoft account was set up. You will then receive a security code at this email address (or on your mobile phone), and after entering it you can assign a new password. You can also change an existing password via your Microsoft account dashboard under “Security.” Here you will also find an overview of all devices that are linked to your Microsoft account and lots of other information and setting options. 3. Resetting the Windows password of a local account For this first option, you will need any Windows setup DVD. Whether it’s an original disc or an ISO image you have burned yourself is just as irrelevant as the Windows version. This does not have to be the same as the Windows to be cracked. But it must be a fully fledged installation medium — never a recovery CD/DVD. Boot the computer using this DVD. After selecting the language, the “Install now” or “Install Windows” button appears. At this point there is also a “Computer repair options” button, which you select here. Depending on the set-up medium, you will then either be taken immediately to the “Command prompt” or via the click sequence “Troubleshooting > Advanced options > Command prompt.” Here you must now find out the drive identifier of the installed Windows. Start with the following two commands:c:dir and continue with “d:”, “e:” until the “dir” command displays the typical root directory of a Windows system with “Windows” and “Program Files.” (Usually “c:” is used as the system drive.) There you go with cd windows\system32 to name the folder with the system programs, with ren utilman.exe utilman.ex_ and copy the command prompt to this name: copy cmd.exe utilman.exe You can then shut down the system, remove the DVD and restart the computer with Windows installed. Utilman.exe is a small auxiliary program for the visually impaired (“Easier operation”) which, unlike all other programs, is ready to start at the Windows login screen. This will now solve your login problem. Click on the “Ease of use” icon on the login screen or use the Win+U key combination. The command prompt “CMD.EXE”, renamed to “utilman.exe”, will open. A single command is now sufficient to replace the forgotten password with a new one: net user [account] [password] If you have also “forgotten” your account (which looks more like a break-in), use the account that is currently displayed on the login screen. The password assignment is valid immediately — you can therefore log in to the Windows system immediately with this password. 4. Remove Windows password with Linux system Without a Windows setup DVD, you can take the almost simpler route via a Linux system. The PC-WELT emergency system is particularly suitable as an alternative operating system. After starting the system, you can in principle also follow the path described in point 2, because after the “writable” mounting of the Windows partition via “Drives” (in the bar at the top) you have full access to the “/Windows/System32” directory. But there is an even simpler way: Without worrying about mounted drives, select the option “New password (new version)” under “Rescue tools.” The Linux system then automatically searches for the Windows partition and the registry file “SAM.” If it finds them, it displays the user accounts entered there and you select the account whose password you want to delete. That’s it! You then start Windows and are logged in without a password. If the “New password (new version)” tool does not automatically find what you are looking for, there is an older version “New password” in the “Rescue tools” that requires some supporting interaction. 5. Change password with Offline NT Password & Registry Editor The free Offline NT Password & Registry Editor resets the password of your Windows account with just a few clicks. The open source tool can delete or replace the password, but cannot display it in plain text. It is also possible to make a Windows user with limited rights an administrator. A simple editor for editing the Windows registry keys is included. The Offline NT Password & Registry Editor is embedded in a live system based on Linus. Download the ISO file, which is only a few megabytes in size. Then write the CD image to a blank disc using a free tool such as Imgburn. Alternatively, you can use a USB stick and create a multi-boot stick with the Offline NT Password & Registry Editor using the freeware Sardu, for example. When you boot the system, the tool displays all recognized hard disk partitions with their names. Select your Windows system partition by entering the number and confirming with the Enter key. In the next step, press Enter to accept the default directory for the registry. Press 1 to call up password mode. Press 1 again to display a list of all users. Now type in the user name for the account whose password you want to reset. Please note here: As is usual with English keyboards, the Y and Z keys are reversed. Press the Enter key. Selecting 1 deletes the password, pressing 2 allows you to edit the password. Press 3 to change the user’s rights. Press ! and Q to exit the editor. Press Z to save your changes. 6. Simply change a forgotten Windows password You can also simply replace the Windows password with a new one — even using the standard Windows tools. However, there is one restriction: The file and folder encryption of the operating system is linked to the password. So if you have encrypted data with the Windows tools, you will no longer be able to access it after changing the password. If, on the other hand, everything is stored unencrypted on your hard drive or you use an external program such as Veracrypt, you can safely follow the following tip. All you need is the Windows DVD; a bootable USB stick is also suitable. Boot your computer from the DVD and make sure the correct language is set as the installation language in the first “Install Windows” window. Click on “Next” and “Install now.” While Windows is still considering, press the key combination Shift+F10. The command prompt appears, in which you type “regedit” to load the registry editor. Select the key “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” and open the menu command “File > Load structure.” In the following window, locate the system partition C: and the Windows System32config folder there. In this folder you will see a file called SOFTWARE. But be careful: The registry editor does not display any file extensions. The file you need is simply called SOFTWARE. However, there is also a software.txt in Windows. You can recognize the correct file by switching on the “Details” view at the top and paying attention to the “File” type. Select SOFTWARE and click on “Open.” The editor will now ask you for a key name. Enter a name of your choice, such as “Password,” and confirm with “OK.” Now click through to the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEPasswordMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionImage File Execution Options Right-click on the folder and go to “New > Key.” Give the new key the name “utilman.exe”. Click on it with the right mouse button, select “New” and “String.” Enter “debugger” as the name, double-click the character string, enter “cmd.exe” as the value, and close the window with “OK.” Finally, go back to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEPassword, select this key and click on “File > Remove structure.” Confirm the removal with “Yes,” close the editor and the command prompt, and reboot Windows. If the prompt “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD” appears, do nothing and let Windows boot from the hard drive. As soon as the password prompt appears, press the key combination Windows+U This will open the command prompt, where you enter the command “net user [username] [password],” replacing “[username]” with your login name and “[password]” with the new password you want. Leave out the inverted commas and square brackets. After you have pressed the Enter key, “The command was executed successfully” appears as confirmation. Close the command prompt and enter the new password in the login window. Finally, open the registry editor again and delete the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionImage File Execution OptionsUtilman.exe. The trick exploits the fact that Windows loads the utilman.exe file during login, behind which the Ease of Use Center is hidden. The change made to the registry calls up cmd.exe instead, i.e. the command prompt. The password can then be changed using its command set. 7. Crack Windows password with the help of Ophcrack By now you have read how to skip, reset, or overwrite the Windows password. However, there are also tools that attempt to guess the original password using a brute force attack. They try out character combinations in quick succession until they find what they are looking for. With shorter, uncomplicated passwords, this can be done quite quickly; with longer character strings, the process can take days or weeks. The advantage: If you have encrypted files on your hard drive, you can access the data again in this way. Caution: Cracking other people’s passwords is illegal! Only use such tools to recover your own password. In addition, many antivirus programs regard these tools as Trojan viruses. You should therefore temporarily deactivate your antivirus program (if you use one) before using them. One of these tools is Ophcrack. Burn the Ophcrack ISO file onto a CD or DVD. Alternatively, pack the contents onto a USB stick using Rufus. Please be careful: This will delete all existing files. You can find information on Rufus at https://rufus.akeo.ie/. Ophcrack works with rainbow tables. When cracking a password, it is not necessary to try out all possible character combinations — which would be time-consuming and costly. Instead, the tool can use ready-made character tables and thus work much faster. Rainbow Tables for Windows XP, which uses LM hashes, is also supplied. On the website of the manufacturer, the Swiss company Objectif Sécurité, further tables are available for newer Windows versions with NT hashes, including some paid versions for professionals. 8. Reset password for Windows 11 (24H2) Foundry Note: This method only works with a local account and if a recovery partition has been set up for the system. As a number of changes have been made to the operating system since the last major Windows 11 update (24H2), some of the recovery methods presented may no longer work properly. With the current Windows 11, however, you can also proceed as follows to regain access to your OS if you no longer know the password. To do this, we first boot to the login screen where we previously failed to enter the password. There we click with the mouse on the power symbol in the bottom right-hand corner. A small window opens. While holding down the Shift key, click on “Restart.” This will take you to the menu that you can see in the screenshot above. Click on the entries “Troubleshooting > Advanced options > Command prompt.” Now we proceed similarly to method no. 3: First, we need to find out the drive identifier of the installed Windows. Start with the following two commands c:dir and continue with “d:”, “e:” until the “dir” command displays the typical root directory of a Windows system with “Windows” and “Program Files.” Note: As a rule, “c:” is the system drive. There you go with cd windows\system32 to name the folder with the system programs, with ren utilman.exe utilman.ex_ to an executable file and copy the command prompt to this name: copy cmd.exe utilman.exe Now you can type “exit” and exit the command prompt. In the menu (screenshot above), simply tap on “Continue” to return to the Windows login. There we are no longer interested in the power button, but in the accessibility button (right next to it). As soon as you tap it, a window for the command prompt opens again. Here we use the commandnet user command to find out what Windows calls our account (if you don’t already know). You will find three entries in the first line (Administrator), the third of which (after “DefaultAccount”) is the name of the account you are looking for. Now we are almost finished and enter the commandnet user [KONTONAME] * Please enter the account name without brackets and confirm the command with Enter. Windows will now prompt you to enter a new password. Attention: There is no feedback when you enter the password! To be on the safe side, you must enter the assigned password again afterwards. You can now exit the prompt and log in with the new password in future. Finally, we should undo the changes we have made. To do this, you can now hold down the Shift key and click on the Power button in Windows 11 and switch to the Command Prompt (exactly as described above) via the troubleshooting function. There we navigate again to the “System32” directory (use the instructions above if necessary) and enter the following commands:del utilman.exeren utilman.ex_ utilman.exe Windows 11 will now run as before and you will have a new password. Further reading: Already using random passwords? Great. It’s still not enough Read...

Come October 14th, Microsoft is officially ending support for Windows 10. That means no more new features or improvements, no more security fixes (though you can extend those another year by using Microsoft services), and the gradual loss of apps as they also stop supporting Windows 10. Microsoft wants you to upgrade to Windows 11—and if your PC doesn’t meet the requirements, then Microsoft wants you to trade it in or recycle it and get a brand-new Windows 11 machine. But maybe you don’t have the money for that. Or maybe you’re repelled by Windows 11. Or maybe you just don’t want to waste a perfectly good PC that still works fine. In that case, you might be interested in KDE’s latest campaign that encourages Windows 10 holdouts to try switching to Linux with the user-friendly Plasma Desktop (spotted by Windows Latest). The campaign is called KDE for Windows 10 Exiles, which highlights the fact that while many older PCs can’t be upgraded to Windows 11, there’s no need to create unnecessary e-waste. The smarter and more eco-friendly move is to switch to Linux—and KDE is, of course, flying the flag for its own Plasma solution. Plasma Desktop is a free, simple, and easy-to-use desktop environment that’s meant to be an accessible Windows alternative. It includes an app launcher, system tray, notifications, and software repositories, plus lots of customization options to make it as comfortable as you like. Plasma isn’t itself a Linux distribution. It’s a user interface for the OS that works with most popular KDE-compatible Linux distributions, including OpenSUSE, Fedora, Manjaro, and Kubuntu. If you don’t want to give up your machine and want to try switching to Linux, consider installing OpenSUSE with Plasma. The OpenSUSE Installation Quick Start Guide walks you through the process. Otherwise, learn more about how to save your Windows 10 PC after end of life. Read...

Vibe coding is programming by gut feel. You have an idea for a tool, a website, or a repetitive task you want to automate… but instead of enrolling in a coding boot camp or slogging through YouTube tutorials, you fire up an AI chatbot and have it write the code for you. This AI-driven approach to creative coding has exploded in popularity over the past year or two—chiefly because it works. People are building genuinely useful stuff without even knowing what a variable is. I’ve been vibe coding my own apps with AI and I’m absolutely loving it, despite being a relative newbie to coding. But most advice about AI-assisted programming still assumes you want to become a “real” programmer eventually. Because of that, the advice tends to steer you towards professional tools that are overkill for simple projects. You need a different—easier—approach. PROMOTIONLaunch in minutes by vibe coding Turn your ideas into reality with Hostinger Horizons. Build web apps, websites, and custom tools by chatting with the AI – no coding required. Get everything you need to launch and grow including web hosting, domain management and email. Start now Here’s what you really need to start vibe coding your own stuff right now, without any of the BS that only complicates matters. Use an AI chatbot, not an AI-assisted IDE Your first instinct might be to use an AI-assisted integrated development environment (IDE), one that you’ve heard is good for vibe coding, like Windsurf, Cursor, or even Claude Code (which technically isn’t an IDE, but that’s besides the point). All of these tools are built for AI coding, so they’re the best place to start, right? Well… no. These tools are designed to make highly productive programmers even more productive, and that means they assume a level of knowledge that amateur coders—like you and me—lack. Diving into these programs straight away is likely to leave you confused and discouraged. An AI-driven code editor can be powerful, but it’s overkill for an amateur vibe coder. This one starts at $15 per month after a two-week trial.Windsurf Not to mention that AI-powered IDEs are pretty darn expensive, too. While most offer a bit of free use, it’s easy for even uber-casual vibe coders to find themselves in need of a paid plan. Many such IDEs charge based on usage instead of a flat monthly rate, too. As an amateur vibe coder, you’re better off using an AI chatbot. The downside here is that you’ll need to copy-paste code back and forth between the chatbot and your code editor. It’s a bit of a nuisance, but it’s not too bad if your project is small. Choose your AI chatbot carefully When it comes to AI chatbots with programming proficiency, there are several you can choose from. All of the popular ones are good enough to get started, but even so, I have a couple recommendations. Don’t want to spend a dime? Try Google’s AI Studio. This chronically under-appreciated AI tool provides free and effectively unlimited access to Google’s latest Gemini Pro models, which many consider the best in the business without paying a cent. Google AI Studio does have a few downsides. Google will train on your data (most paid services promise they don’t), the interface isn’t the best, and there’s no desktop or mobile version. None of these are serious obstacles for amateur vibe coding, though. A screenshot of a quick data visualization tool I created using Claude.Matt Smith / Foundry But if you’re willing to pay a bit and want an attractive interface with desktop and mobile apps, I recommend Anthropic’s Claude Opus. I like Claude’s Artifacts feature, which breaks code out in a separate interface pane. It can even execute some code (like HTML or JavaScript) to provide a preview in Claude itself, and you can download code to your PC from this pane. Competitors have emulated it with similar features, but I think Anthropic’s implementation remains the best. Stick to popular programming languages Choosing a programming language is a major obstacle for both amateur and experienced programmers. There are hundreds to choose from, dozens of them are mature, and promoters of each tend to have strong opinions, so it’s easy to fall into analysis paralysis. When it comes to vibe coding, though, I recommend that you stick with languages that are both popular and forgiving. That means the usual suspects of JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, HTML, and perhaps C# if you’re feeling saucy. AI does best with these languages because AI models are trained on data from across the web. The more popular the language, the more examples there are to train on—and the more source data to work with, the better the generative results. As for how forgiving a particular language is, it’s an important aspect to consider because you’ll be quicker to get a program up and running even when it has bugs. Some languages, like Rust and C++, have strict syntax and architectural demands that can be a nightmare to debug. Veteran coders are likely to recoil at the idea of willingly accepting bugs in a program, but for beginners, it’s better to have a buggy-yet-functional program than a program that was abandoned because it never worked. Alternatively, you could let the AI choose your language for you. Describe the program you want to create and ask the chatbot to make it in whatever language seems most appropriate. Choose a simple code editor Once you have a chatbot and coding language picked, you’ll need to choose the software you use to edit code. You may feel pushed towards a full-blown programming IDE like Visual Studio, which is admittedly powerful but, again, designed for people who have some knowledge of programming. For casual vibe coding, I recommend a simpler code editor like Notepad++, Sublime Text, or UltraEdit. (My bias is towards Notepad++.) A screenshot of my vibe coded personal website in Notepad++.Matt Smith / Foundry Code editors lack the comprehensive terminal, debugging, and remote development features found in many IDEs. However, code editors still provide a fast, functional, and approachable interface that looks more like the barebones text editors you’ve likely used (e.g., Notepad), and they still provide handy features like code auto-completion. Think small (and reinvent the wheel) Scope creep is a common problem that all programmers face, and it can stop you cold. Big projects are more difficult than small projects, and vibe coding grows more difficult as the size of a project increases. So while it might be tempting to try vibe coding your way to a full-blown 3D game or world-class accounting software, you might want to hold your horses and start small. Very small.  A screenshot of me asking Claude about some enhancements to my tabletop game web app, which is relatively simple and small in scope.Matt Smith / Foundry Here are some great entry-level project examples for vibe coding: Python scripts that automate specific tasks, like scraping web pages for data or filtering documents by various criteria. A single-page personal website or app in HTML and JavaScript. A single-feature app programmed in Python or C#. My first vibe-coded project was a dice-rolling tool with text-to-speech capability for the tabletop strategy game Battletech. It can roll dice and announce the results of a roll, speeding up play. I also vibe-coded my own personal website, a single page of HTML with some JavaScript. Use AI to troubleshoot issues, answer questions, and generate documentation You might be surprised by how quickly AI can help you vibe code basic tools and programs. It’s so easy to pop out a quick Python script, you may find yourself doing it several times a day at one point. However, heavy reliance on vibe-coded projects can lead to another problem: losing track of how each script and program works, and becoming confused by dependencies. For example, Python programs typically don’t work right out of the box. You’ll need to install Python as well as the various libraries that are used to accomplish different things in a script. Not only do you have to figure that out, but if you ever move to another computer, you’ll also have to set up Python and those dependencies on that computer as well. Fortunately, AI is great at solving this problem. Just ask and it’ll provide you with instructions on how to install a new programming language and any related libraries on your computer. This will typically involve a handful of command-line prompts. I also recommend ending every vibe coding session by asking the AI to create documentation that teaches new users how to use the generated program. And when you use AI to modify existing scripts or programs, it’s a good idea to ask for a changelog of everything it does. Documentation will help you remember how your program works and help you get it working when you switch computers. Pick up Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi Python scripts and web pages can be useful, but they lack pizzazz… and that can be discouraging for any new vibe coder. If you want to try programming something that feels more tangible and exciting, then I recommend picking up an Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi. Going this route is likely to increase your starting costs and will make your vibe coding journey more complicated. You’ll need to buy some hardware and most likely a soldering iron. You’re also going to need to pick up some skills that AI can’t help with, like soldering. A Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W hooked up and ready to tinker with.Raspberry Pi While you can use AI to suggest Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi projects, I recommend picking a tutorial that already exists, like this Raspberry Pi Pico W weather station by ExplainingComputers. The tutorial explains the basics, of course, but the AI chatbot can further explain concepts that you don’t quite understand and handle edge cases. For example, I had a different temperature sensor than the one in the tutorial, so I had to wire it differently than how it was shown and make changes to the code to identify my sensor. With the help of AI, I was able to make the required changes in just 15 minutes. Further reading: Practical Raspberry Pi projects anyone can do PROMOTIONLaunch in minutes by vibe coding Turn your ideas into reality with Hostinger Horizons. Build web apps, websites, and custom tools by chatting with the AI – no coding required. Get everything you need to launch and grow including web hosting, domain management and email. Start now Read...

Environment and conservation funding cuts the balancing act in the management of the economy and growing jobs, opposition MPs told. Read...

A total of 64 conservation groups have been boosted with grants to help with their work in protecting and enhancing the natural environment. Read...

TL;DR: Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 is down to just $27.97 (reg. $499), giving you access to premium development tools without the premium price tag. Whether you’re building your first app or managing large-scale software projects, having the right tools makes all the difference. Visual Studio Professional 2022 gives developers a powerful, flexible environment for writing, debugging, testing, and deploying code across multiple platforms, and right now, it’s available for a one-time price of just $27.97. This isn’t a trial or a watered-down version. It’s the full suite of Microsoft’s flagship IDE, ready to support Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and web development. You can work with .NET MAUI to create cross-platform apps, use Blazor to build interactive UIs with C#, and even run and debug C++ or .NET code on Linux. Speed up your workflow with modern features: Hot reload: apply code changes without restarting. IntelliCode: offers AI-assisted code suggestions and autocompletions. CodeLens: insights on references, changes, and test results without leaving your code. Live Share: collaborate with teammates in real time with no screen sharing required. If you’re looking to level up your development stack or need a reliable platform for professional coding projects, this deal is a no-brainer. Just don’t wait too long—licenses are limited, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. Get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 now for just $27.97 (reg. $499) while these codes last. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 for WindowsSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

Millions of laptops get tossed in the U.S. every year. Most still work, but they end up in landfills or collecting dust in drawers. Only about one in five gets properly recycled, according to Lifewire. That’s a problem, but also a chance to do better. You can make a real difference through the choices you make when buying, using, and disposing of your laptop. That’s where we come in (hi there!). We’ll show you how to make a smarter, greener choice next time you upgrade. What makes a laptop sustainable? A sustainable laptop is designed with longevity, reparability, and energy efficiency in mind. Some companies are already deep in the game. For example, Framework makes laptops with modular parts, so you can replace or upgrade just about anything without tossing the whole thing. It’s honestly just fun to jump in and start messing around. If you’re up for a little challenge, they’ve got a DIY version where you build the whole thing yourself. IDG / Mark Knapp And then there’s the materials. Dell uses ocean-bound plastics in some laptops and packaging to keep waste out of the oceans. Apple’s newer MacBooks are made from recycled aluminum, cutting down on mining. Acer and Lenovo also sneak recycled plastics into their devices, helping reduce the need for new raw materials. HP is also stepping up by offering programs that take back old devices to recycle them responsibly. All these efforts might seem small on their own, but together they really add up. Further reading: How 6 top laptop manufacturers are lowering their carbon footprints Okay, but does this stuff really matter? It sure does! If you end up springing for a laptop made from recycled aluminum (like a newer MacBook, for instance), you’re already one step ahead of the game. Great job lowering your carbon footprint! Plus, fixing or reusing old parts helps reduce digging up new materials from the earth. And there’s the energy side of things, too. A traditional laptop eats up about 25 kilowatt-hours of electricity every year. That’s like a keeping a light bulb on for two whole weeks. Over a four year period, you’re looking at around 100 kWh. But ENERGY STAR laptops? They use way less energy — 30 to 40 percent less. Are sustainable laptops more expensive? Some are, but it pays off over time. Lots of laptops let you upgrade stuff like RAM and SSD, not just the Framework ones. Plenty of mainstream models (especially in the business lines from brands like Dell, HP, and Lenovo) still give you access to those parts. That means you can start with a more affordable configuration and upgrade later if you need more storage. Just a heads up, though! Some super-thin models don’t let you upgrade because the parts are usually soldered in. So check reviews before you buy if upgrades matter to you and look for mentions of upgradeability in product listings, it can save you money and frustration down the road. Refurbished laptops are also a solid way to go because they’re cheaper and better for the planet, since you’re reusing something that’s already been created. Sustainability doesn’t have to mean dropping big bucks or only choosing niche models. Even small choices help like picking a model with longer battery life or better repairability. And even simple stuff like clearing out dust or replacing an old battery can keep your laptop going way longer than you’d expect. Taking a little extra time to look after your laptop can save you from having to drop cash on a new one any time soon. It’s a lot less waste, too. Check out pcworld`s top pick for best upgradeable laptop Framework Laptop 13 (2025) Read our review What should you look for in a sustainable laptop? If you’re ready to pick up a sustainable laptop, here are some key features to keep an eye out for. If you want even deeper info, check out PCWorld’s 5 factors to consider when shopping for an eco-friendly laptop. EPEAT Gold Rating EPEAT works like a medal system for how eco-friendly a product is. There’s Bronze, Silver, or Gold. Gold is the highest medal and it means the device is ultra-efficient and made with fewer toxic materials. ENERGY STAR certification ENERGY STAR certification means the device is energy-efficient and better for the environment. Modular or tool-less design This means you can swap parts like the battery or storage without tools or tech skills. Companies like Framework make laptops easy to upgrade or fix, so you don’t have to toss the whole thing if something breaks. Long software support (5+ years) Long software support mostly matters for Chromebooks. Some cheap models only get updates for a couple more years and then they’re basically useless. Fortunately, Google now offers up to 10 years of support on some models. This PCWorld article explains what to look for. Manufacturer take-back program Got an old laptop? Some companies will take it back and recycle it properly. It’s very easy and many companies even give you a free shipping label or drop-off spot. Brands like Apple, Dell, and HP do this to keep old tech out of landfills. Small habits, big difference Buying a sustainable laptop won’t save the planet overnight, but it’s a solid place to start. These little choices add up, especially when more of us start making them. And honestly, just keeping your laptop around a little longer makes a bigger difference than you might think. Just hanging onto your laptop a little longer makes a real difference. Less waste. Fewer new materials needed. Your wallet’s probably happier, too. So, next time you’re thinking about upgrading, hit the pause button for a second and ask yourself: Will I still be happy with this in three or four years? Can I fix it if something breaks? Will the company help me recycle it when I’m done? Saying yes to any one of those questions means you’re making a smarter, more sustainable choice. You’re already one step ahead of the game, kid. Further reading: 4 eco-friendly ways to get rid of a laptop Read...

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